GM food debate never seems to be ending and there is not even a single day when one does not hear about fresh controversies in one or the other part of the world. Latest to arrive is the news about the legal clearance granted in the US to a new variety of GM Corn which is rich in the starch splitting enzyme amylase. The rationale in approving this GM crop is that it is used only for making ethanol that is mixed with gasoline to create a bio-fuel blend that is being promoted in that country. The logic is that by using new corn variety the production cost for ethanol can be reduced significantly. This is illogical because the corn ethanol industry gets huge subsidies from the government running to billions of dollars and at best the new move by the government will only boost the income of this industry to astronomical levels. The moot question is at what cost to the health of the population? Unfortunately there is no way a consumer or any user can differentiate this GM corn from other normal and evolved varieties being used by the food and feed industry. As the new version of GM corn is not "intended" for consumption by animals and human beings, rigorous safety testing has not been done raising a number of questions regarding the advisability of clearing it, probably under pressure of the bio-fuel lobby.
"It warned: 'Syngenta's own scientific data released last month shows if this corn is co-mingled with other corn, it will have significant adverse impacts on food product quality and performance.' Association president, Mary Waters, said: 'USDA has failed to provide the public with sufficient scientific data on the economic impacts of contamination on food production.' The corn contains a powerful enzyme that breaks down the starch inside the plant, which is a cost saving function for ethanol production. The association said that it if were to enter the food processing stream, the same function that benefits ethanol production will damage the quality of food products like breakfast cereals, snack foods, and battered products. The concerns are all the more important because the association is a well-known supporter of GM crops and food. Director of the Britiish lobbying group, GM Freeze, Pete Riley, said: 'UK ministers are supporting EC moves to allow low level GM contamination of unapproved GM traits in animal feed and are reported to be pressing for an extension of this ill conceived policy to cover food imports as well. 'The history of the biotech industry in the US shows a trail of contamination incidents and Syngenta's starch decomposing maize will surely get into the food chain and create major economic problems and health scares".
Surprisingly even some of the pro-GM lobbyists are raising alarms regarding the consequences of allowing country-wide cultivation of the new high amylase corn variety that may result in unintended food contamination, and there is a need for the US Government to reconsider its decision. The issue assumes critical importance because many countries are considering limits of contamination of normal food crops with the GM versions and logically no country may allow such contaminants beyond 1%. International community must isolate the US on this issue and imports of foods from this GM-obsessed country must be banned under the aegis of WTO. It is time that the underlying belligerency on the part of this super power that it can do any thing without caring about the world opinion must be curbed through universal cooperation amongst the affected countries.
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